Steak and Honey

By Mollie Bond-

Sizzling, succulent, scrumptious. In other words, a Brazilian steakhouse. I winked at my friends Tammy, Jennifer, and Callie at the decadent restaurant as the servers slid out the fabric-covered chairs. Slightly drooling, we found our way to at the salad bar, which included raw fish, mozzarella carved from the wheel, and basil salad dressing. The girls waited for me to finish. At the last bite, the real fun began.

“Turn the cards!” Tammy said with much flair as she picked up the card next to her plate. We flipped the card to green. When we needed a moment, we flipped the card back to red. However, I saw most tables had green cards because of what came your way with a green card.

Meat sizzled past my ear. Foot-long skewers of meat came right to my table. The server slid the sharp knife through the meat while the tongs I held keep it from falling. Instantaneously, lamb, beef, chicken, spicy sausage, and filet mignon wrapped in bacon, were rushed to my side with one flip. Just as we started whispering in an un-lady-like manner about how a belt needed to be loosened, Callie said, “I can’t even taste what I’m eating anymore.” It reminded me of the verse in Proverbs that warns about eating just enough.

“What is this?” as her fork held up some type of meat. Defeated, the fork and the meat landed back on her plate. She’s right. The more we ate, the less appetizing meat sounded. Even bacon.

I wondered how many other times in life do I gorge myself? What about in my finances, or my quest for a better job, or my desire for more down time? Contentment, knowing when enough is enough, is so hard to come by in America; especially in American Brazilian steakhouses.

PRAYER: Father, I’m turning my card to green to You. Yet I am leaving it on red for that feeling of discontentment. I’m glad for the many good things in my life, and I’m determined to enjoy them fully.

“One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet” (Proverbs 27:7 NIV).

The Great Irony

By Peter Lundell –

I messed up three times in two days in an area of my expertise, that of making and fixing things. I felt foolish, incompetent, and made no excuse for my errors. But rather than sink into self-condemnation, I talked to God about it. And as I did I grew closer to him. My mistakes and weaknesses magnify my human frailty and lack, as yours probably do to you as well. In a positive view, this enforces humility in me. In turn I crave the embrace of my heavenly Father, who loves me anyway.

Then I reach a profound irony, not unlike the Apostle Paul’s “when I am weak I am strong”: When aware of my human failing, I move closer to God and experience a greater measure of His peace, His power, even His pleasure, than when I am outwardly successful or victorious.

Success is great—I want more of it—yet the other side of the irony is that when I focus on my success or victory, I easily become self-confident. Which is fine, but it diminishes my sense of needing God and drawing close to him. I subtly lose intimacy with God.

The irony is capped with the result that I find myself gravitating toward whatever highlights my shortcomings—not that I try to be an incompetent fool, but that I cultivate a heart and mind to affirm my shortcomings. Doing this is truly better than the self-orientation we as humans gravitate toward if our focus is only on our victories and successes.

I think God lets us fail and struggle because he loves us. He has implanted shortcomings in us to draw us near to him and to receive completeness in him. In his eyes, that is the greatest success, the greatest victory.

“[The Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV).

“Lord, I am so imperfect. Open my eyes and heart and mind to always embrace my inadequacies that they would draw me closer to You, that I would always find my completeness and my value in You.”

May I Have This Dance?

By Susan Dollyhigh –

Eric reached for my hand and led me to the dance floor for the mother-son dance. Oblivious to the many guests following our every step, we danced to I Hope You Dance. During those three to four bittersweet minutes, with smiles on our faces and tears running down our cheeks, we shared our love.

“Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Mom,” Eric said. “I love you so much.” Looking up into his man-face, I couldn’t help but flash back to his little-boy-face.

“I love you so much, Eric, and I’m so proud of you,” I whispered. “You are a wonderful son, and I know you are going to make a wonderful husband, and someday an incredible father.” Pausing to regain my composure, I said, “I hope you and Amy have the best marriage ever.”

The song, and another stage of life, ended and Eric led me back to my seat. Returning to our hotel room after the reception, I slipped out of my long, lavender dress, and reflected on the beautiful wedding, the elegant country-club reception, and a dance that I cherish in my heart.

Seven-year-old David was already dancing when I reached out and took his hand. His eyes opened wide and he paused for just a second, then a big smile broke out on his face. And we danced to You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog blaring from an old boom box.

“Wow, you’re a great dancer,” I said.

“Thanks, I’ve been practicin’,” David said.

The song ended, and I said goodbye. The gravel crunched under my car’s tires as I pulled away from the homeless shelter. Returning home, I took off my jeans and t-shirt, and reflected on the simple white-frame-cottage, a beautiful Bible study with a motley crew of men, women, and children, and another dance that I cherish in my heart.

Country club or homeless shelter, DJ or boom box, lavender gown or blue jeans, I never know the circumstances the Lord might use to shower me with an incredible blessing.

Prayer: Father, thank You for your awesome love and never-ending blessings. Amen.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly
realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NIV).

ZONK! KAPOW! SPLOOSH!

By Elaine James –

Holy heart failure, Batman! I blurted out just like Robin would blurt out his one-sentence opinion of the situation after hopping out of Batman’s Batmobile. I am pretty sure a fiery dart with the label reading “rejection” just pierced my heart. I was overcome with tears of sadness. I haven’t had this response in quite a while. I ran into my office to hide and pull the dart out. “God we need to sort this out. I just prayed this morning that no weapon formed against me would prosper. I declared that I was fully armored and ready for today. I’ve been hit! What is going on here?” More crying. No response. More prayer. “God give me the lowdown here.”

What occurred was a whirlwind attack right at the frontlines of my house. I can assure you that God and I took care of it immediately. That is the point! It doesn’t matter how frequent I am taken by surprise. For me what really matters is following the leading of the Holy Spirit. I calmed down. I was thankful. I felt compelled to continue my day as planned. I know now that God meant for me to stand firm. Without telling the whole story I just wanted to share the outcome. Everything went as planned and the day ended well.

At some point I wanted to tell the person who rejected me “you hurt me.” I thought if I said that maybe they would think next time and we wouldn’t have a repeat of the situation. I decided to pray about that too! I heard in my head “be quiet for now.” Later that day I was with the person and others. The subject of what went on earlier came up. With a light heart and humor (being indirect) I told the person that I was worried and hurt about the situation. “Why?” they asked. I explained and they accepted my explanation and we moved on to another conversation.

At the end of the day back at the Batcave. Batman would recap “There may be troublemakers, Robin, but they’re still human beings. … Our job is finished.”

For now, I am in my Batcave and I am finished too…THE END. Thank God!

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).
PRAYER: Lord I need You. I can’t live without You. Holy Spirit guide me with Your wisdom. Thank you for your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questioning My Generosity

By Mollie Bond –

I’ve got a new five-year journal; it is a resolution of sorts. The journal isn’t a bit of space to write random thoughts. Rather, each page poses a question for each day of the year.

When you finish the first year, you start over, answering each question again, until all five years have been completed. Your answers to questions like, “What did you last eat?” and “What is your motivation?” or even more challenging: “When was the last time you were generous?” will reveal developments in your life and character.

As a follower of Jesus, I should give everything. But when was the last time I had given anything? Do time and effort count? I work hard for my boss. Does that count?

The question of generosity reminded me of the last time I did something unexpected. A lady in front of me at the grocery store didn’t have enough food stamps to cover the expense of baby formula. I added her formula to my bill, and wished her a good day. I wanted to take time to share the entire gospel. However, God held me back. Generosity is simple, random, and perhaps the loudest evangelist of all. In the end, I’m answering a question in a journal, and I realized that was the last time I was spontaneous in my generosity.

Jesus had moments when He had to keep moving, but He stopped to give compassion as in Matthew 15. The woman wouldn’t let up. Motherly instincts for her sick daughter prompted her persistence. As a Gentile, she might not have been at the top of the list of people Jesus needed to see that day. She followed Jesus to get what she wanted, knowing Jesus was on a mission. When He said his priorities laid elsewhere, the woman asked for a moment of compassion. Would He pick up the tab? Would He stop in his busy day to heal her daughter, even though she wasn’t on the list? He agreed. In a moment, Jesus made an exception in the spirit of compassion and generosity.

You may not have a journal to remind you to be spontaneous and generous, but Jesus gives us a spirit of compassion. Use it.

PRAYER: I may not be good at this generosity thing, but I know you will help me. Will you show me more how to keep my eyes open for moments of giving? I’m looking for the next opportunity.

“Then Jesus answered, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew 15:28 NIV).

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